Sawing a tree with a grinder: safe or madness

Angle grinders are one of the most popular and indispensable types of hand-held power tools when performing various types of work. The range of their application is very wide. But can they replace a specialized wood tool?

As you know, sappers make mistakes only once. This expression is also relevant for lovers of using angle grinders for cutting wood.

Why do people go for it

In everyday life there are many diverse circumstances, which are often very difficult to predict. As a rule, versatility, compactness and affordable price allows the grinder to always be at hand. It is really convenient and practical. And they cut wood using angle grinders quite often.

Someone from a lack of understanding of the possible consequences. Someone from excessive self-confidence and experience. Moreover, most of the injuries are experienced not by beginners, but by experienced users. The sense of danger is dulled. There is a neglect of the basic safety requirements.

On the topic of cutting wood with a grinder, there are many "black" jokes. For example, if a more humane way of suicide is not available, then this one will do. Or, in the modern world, having 5 fingers on each hand is a luxury. Unfortunately, there is a joke in every joke. A frivolous attitude to this issue often leads to extremely negative consequences.

Safe or not

The fact is that wood, unlike most other materials, has a very heterogeneous structure. The fiberiness, roughness and possible presence of extraneous metal inclusions, such as nails and wire, greatly complicate the work.

Given that the disk rotates at a speed of about 11,000 rpm, the grinder “throws” when working on wood. This also contributes to the impossibility of strict adherence to the perpendicular arrangement of the plane of the disk and the material, since the work is carried out mainly on weight. As a result, it is not always possible to hold the tool. This leads to injury.

In addition, the heterogeneity of the material can lead to the destruction of the disk, parts of which can fly in an unpredictable direction.

All this requires maximum caution when working with a grinder on wood.

Tips for use if necessary

The above does not mean that the use of angle grinders for cutting wood is strictly prohibited. If the need arose, but there is no specialized tool, then a number of recommendations should be strictly observed:

1. Use only high-quality specialized equipment for grinders. In no case should you use circles for circular saws in the absence of the ability to adjust the rotary angle grinder.
2. Do not allow discs that have even the slightest defects.
3. If there is a speed control function, set the minimum values.
4. Work should be carried out in protective gloves, special clothing, plastic glasses and closed shoes.
5. Do not remove or shift the protective cover of the grinder, even if you really want to clearly see the cut line.
6. Hold the grinder with only two hands while in a stable position. Never cut with one hand while holding the material with the other.
7. Ensure that there are no flammable objects and liquids in the work area, since the disc is very hot during operation.
8. Check the performance of the angle grinder at idle in order to make sure that there is no vibration.
9. Do not allow other people and, especially, children into the work area.
10. If possible, the power button should not be locked.

Guided by these simple rules, you can minimize the risk of injuries when cutting wood with a grinder. But it is impossible to completely exclude it.Therefore, without an acute need to use angle grinders for these purposes is impractical. In the absence of a circular saw or jigsaw - it is better to use a hand tool. It will be longer, but safer.